Defence forecasts aircraft noise around its airfields as Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) maps, and the map it lists for RAAF Base Pearce is a forecast for the year 2012, issued in July 2003. The base’s own noise plan adds that the maps leave out some flight paths, and that people whose homes lie beyond the mapped zones may still hear aircraft.
General information, not legal or planning advice about any property. Defence publishes the forecast maps and says local planning authorities use them; for Bullsbrook that authority is the City of Swan, whose planning team can say how a forecast bears on a particular lot.
The base and its satellite field
The Air Force calls Pearce its main base in Western Australia and places it in Bullsbrook, 35 kilometres north of Perth. Its main job is training pilots, and as the only permanent RAAF base on the west coast it also carries a large logistics load. Defence’s list of air bases puts Pearce beside East Sale as a training base, flown from on a regular basis.
The noise management plan for the base covers Pearce together with its satellite airfield at Gingin, and gives an average of 140 military aircraft movements a week. Pearce has two runways, 05/23 running northeast to southwest and 18/36 running north to south. The plan describes the Bullsbrook town site as lying just east of the base and West Bullsbrook just west of it, near the arrival and departure paths for runway 05/23. Which runway is in use depends mainly on the wind, with air traffic control also taking account of the runway in use at Perth Airport.
How to read an ANEF contour
- What it is
- A forecast of noise for one location and one year, counting both civil and military aircraft.
- Its units
- ANEF units, which Defence says are not decibels: they reflect the total amount of aircraft noise over an average year.
- Who uses it
- Local planning authorities, in Defence’s words, to decide whether sites suit residential, commercial or industrial development.
- The 20 line
- Defence writes that “residential housing development is only acceptable outside the 20 ANEF contour”, and points to Table 2.1 of Australian Standard AS 2021:2015 for the full detail of which buildings suit which zones.
- Its limits
- The Pearce plan says the maps do not show every flight path, and homes outside the mapped zones may still experience aircraft noise.
The maps Defence lists for this part of WA
Defence keeps its ANEF maps together on one page, with the forecast year and the date each was issued. These are the four it lists for the Pearce area.
| Map | Forecast year | Issued |
|---|---|---|
| RAAF Base Pearce | 2012 | July 2003 |
| RAAF Base GinGin | 2012 | July 2003 |
| Muchea (air weapons range) | 2012 | July 2003 |
| Beermullah (WA), ILS and TACAN (remote site) | 2012 | July 2003 |
The base’s plan also asks residents to consider an Australian Noise Exposure Concept, or ANEC, map, and treats ANEC and ANEF maps alike as forecasts of noise for a future period. Defence’s listing is the place to see whether a newer map has been issued since this guide was checked.
Flying you may see from a rural block
Military flying is exempt from the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, so that crews can train for operations. The Pearce plan sets these working rules, among others:
- Low flying means flight below 500 feet (152 metres) over areas that are not built up, or below 1,000 feet (304 metres) over built-up areas. The designated low flying training areas lie north and northeast of Pearce.
- Within the training areas, aircraft are to keep flights over homes and communities to a minimum.
- Engine runs on the ground are unrestricted from 0730 to 1630, Monday to Friday. They may run to 2100 for exercises and visiting aircraft with prior approval, and any other time needs the approval of the base’s Air Base Executive Officer.
- For flying outside the usual pattern, the base tries to tell the community through media releases, social media, emails to registered residents and the Air Force flying operations website, though weather and operational limits mean it cannot always do so.
Where planning rules come in
Defence counts sensible land planning by local councils among the most effective ways to reduce the effect of aircraft noise, and issues ANEF maps to advise councils and the public. At state level, Western Australia’s list of state planning policies includes one for land near Perth Airport (SPP 5.1) and one for land near Jandakot Airport (SPP 5.3). SPP 5.1 covers land around Perth Airport that aircraft noise affects now or may affect later, and its measures apply inside the 20 ANEF contour.
Bullsbrook’s local planning sits with the City of Swan, which adopted its current Bullsbrook Local Area Plan in July 2024.
Questions and complaints
Military aircraft
Defence takes enquiries and complaints through an online form, by mail, or on 1300 333 362, where the menu leads to the switchboard and calls go through to the local base. It asks for the date, the time and the type of aircraft if known.
What happens next
Defence says enquiries get an answer within 10 working days, and that a complaint investigation starts within 2 working days and should be resolved within 28.
Civil aircraft
Airservices Australia’s Noise Complaints and Information Service handles noise from civil aircraft.
A review
If a complaint already made to Defence was not handled well, the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman can review it.
For homeowners who want to keep noise out of a house, Defence points to the noise control advice on the Australian Government’s Your Home website.